April Newsletter 2014

March 28, 2014

Towel Policy

As we are coming into warmer days and the pool will start to get busier, the towels start to move more quickly! This is just a friendly reminder to all of our members that the towels, large and small, are for members. Please make sure your guests bring their own towels. Thank you so much!

The non-profit Cancer Well-fit™ offers free, small-group, ten week exercise programs designed to help the first-year cancer survivor build/restore muscle strength and endurance, and to enjoy a relaxing, resort-like setting while on the road to wellness. Over a thousand cancer survivors have benefited from the Cancer Well-fit™ sessions held both at the Paso Robles Sports Club and the Avila Bay Athletic Club & Spa. It’s a non-profit foundation that depends on the generosity of local businesses and people like you!

Tennis Director Mariano Parris and Dr. Andre Acebo will host this exciting event and a barbecue dinner that will follow at the Paso Robles Sports Club. Tickets for the dinner and silent auction are $35 each or $60 per couple.

For more information or to donate tax-deductible auction items, please contact me at 805-239-7397 ext.103 or sdobroth@caclubs.com.

Gratefully,Sara DobrothCoordinator, Cancer Well-fit

Five Steps to a Great Defensive Game

A lot of attention and advice centers on how to play better offensive tennis. But a smart defensive game can be just as important. Almost all of today’s best players excel at defending their side of the net and not just at hitting crushing winners. Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Ferrer and Federer all have incredibly good defensive skills and wouldn’t be at the top of the game without them. Learn how (and when) to play defensively by following these five tips.

KNOW WHEN TO PLAY DEFENSIVELY

The first step is simple, but is forgotten by many players once they step out on the court. You need to know when to play defensively. When you're behind the baseline by more than a few feet, it's a clear sign you need to play more defensively. When your opponent has you moving outside of your comfort zone, either too quickly laterally or forward, and you can't get in position in time to hit a shot comfortably, you have to play defensively.

PLAY A SMART 'SAFE SPOTS' SHOT

When you're under pressure and having to hit defensively as mentioned above, you should try to hit your shot towards the safe spot on the court. This spot is generally down the center of the court and deep. This shot reduces the angle your opponent has on their next shot to attack, robs them of time to prepare for their shot, and increases the time you have to recover.

GO TO YOUR OPPONENT'S WEAKNESS

If it's possible, try to hit your defensive shot to their weakness. Most players have a weaker backhand. Hitting a deep shot to their backhand will help you turn the point from a defensive situation into a neutral or even offensive position, allowing you to regain control of the point.

BECOME A BETTER MOVER

All the great players with good defensive skills are also exceptional movers on court. Most of us at the club level aren’t getting younger or faster, so make up for that by making better use of your anticipating (see next paragraph) and intercepting skills to make up time in getting to the ball quicker.

LEARN TO READ YOUR OPPONENT

Does your opponent like to attack to a certain area on court? Do they force you to hit in a certain uncomfortable pattern? Anticipate their strategies and learn how to read your opponent’s body positioning and swing path of their racquet when they’re preparing to hit their shot, which will enable you to get to the ball faster, set up quicker and prepare better to hit your shot.

Take some time to learn, understand, and appreciate defensive skills on the court and be prepared to win more matches!

See ya’ on the courts, Pro Gary Amadio

Summer Camp 2014

It’s that time of year again at PRSC! Summer Camp 2014 sign-ups will be starting April 1st and camp will be held June 16th through August 22nd. This year, we also have a Spring Break Camp available April 14th through April 25th and are taking sign-ups now. I wanted to write you a note to introduce myself. My name is Zoe Ruz, and I will be acting as this year’s Summer Camp Director! I work here at the Club as a Front Desk Attendant and a Childcare Supervisor. I have a lot of fun activities planned for the kids this year, including daily swim sessions and tennis lessons. We will also be incorporating our Fit Kids program led by Dr. Acebo during the camp week and much more. Our weeks will be themed and the kids will go home at the end of the week with a letter unveiling the upcoming week’s theme. Please make sure to call us early to reserve your child’s spot due to spots being limited. To do so, you may stop by the front desk, call 805-239-7397, or email me, Zoe Ruz at zruz@caclubs.com.

Our Pricing for members will be as follows:3 days: $135.004 days: $179.005 days: $205.00Drop in day rate: $57.00

Our Pricing for nonmembers will be as follows:3 days: $181.004 days: $212.005 days: $243.00Drop in day rate: $65.00

If you pre-pay for 3 weeks of camp, we will take 10% off of your total. We will also offer you a 10% sibling enrollment discount for your second child.

I, as well as everyone else here at PRSC, am so excited for this upcoming summer and hope to see your kids here! I'll be keeping parents updated through emails about the weeks to come! If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email using the address above. Sincerely, Zoe Ruz

Spotlight

This month we are spotlighting Personal Trainer and Group X Instructor, Kathy Thomas. "Kathy is a doer!" From the time she first joined and inquired about working as a personal trainer, Kathy has been non-stop. A self starter, Kathy is a big reason for our rapid growth, both in the fitness department and in new club membership. She epitomizes the professional, energetic, & friendly fitness leader that our members expect.

Here are a few words from Kathy...

I love being active and am excited to share my enthusiasm for fitness with my friends and clients. I have always played sports, but in the last few years began running and biking as a way to combine fitness and time with friends. As a busy mother of two active boys, it is important to use my "free time" wisely. I believe it's never too late to learn a new sport or lead a healthier lifestyle. I started running in my late 30's and over the last 4 years have completed 6 half-marathons and 5 triathlons. I am a positive and motivated trainer with a focus on cardio based circuit training. I enjoy working with a variety of people from different backgrounds and different levels of experience.

...so come check out Kathy's CardioBlast class or find out how she can help you with your weight loss and fitness goals as your personal trainer.Until next month, keep training!Doc

GET A GRIP

How to find the right grip for you

The term “grip” refers to how you hold the racket in your hand any time you go to strike the ball. The grip is the foundation for any shot you hit in tennis, and it’s extremely important to understand the different grips. The fact is that many tennis players just head to the court, pick up their racket, and don’t give their grip any more thought.

Your grip is so important for several reasons. How you hold the racket in your hand affects how you swing up to the tennis ball, and how you swing up to the tennis ball can influence the type of ball you hit. For example, some grips make it easier to swing directly through the ball. When you swing through the ball, you produce a shot that is hit hard but doesn’t have much topspin on it. Other grips make it easier to swing up across the back of the ball. Swinging up across the back of the tennis ball puts more topspin on the ball, but it makes it more difficult to hit hard and put the ball away for a winner. These factors make it important to know what type of grip you are using and how it might be affecting your game.

Attacking players, for example, tend to have more conservative grips that allow you to swing through the ball because the ball is flatter, they hit harder, press their opponent more, and can shorten points. But because they swing through the ball more, they can’t generate as much topspin, so players who like to extend points, or “grind them out,” generally choose more extreme grips that make it easier to swing up on the ball and get that spin. Additionally, putting more spin on the ball lets you hit higher over the net but still have the ball pulled back down into the court, making you more consistent. So again, your choice of grip can actually heavily influence your game.

Let’s now talk about the technical definition of a grip, and exactly how you find any particular grip. To start off, we’re going to look at the butt end of the racket handle. The handle has eight sides, also called “bevels,” and the topmost bevel is Bevel 1. Bevels 2, 3, 4, etc. follow going clockwise around the handle. Bevel 5 is located on the “bottom” of the handle. As you can see on your own tennis racket, the bevels extend from the butt cap all the way up to the throat of the racket.

Let’s now talk about the hand. There are two places on the hand that you need to identify, the heel pad and the index knuckle. If you follow a line from the tip of your pinkie finger down your pinkie to your wrist, your heel pad is the fleshy area of your palm just before your wrist. Your index knuckle is the first knuckle of your index finger, where it connects to your palm. Technically, your grip is defined by which bevel (or bevels) of the tennis racket handle your heel pad and index knuckle rest on.

If you look at the bevels of the tennis racket handle again, your grip is determined by where your hand is resting on those bevels. Specific grips (i.e. Eastern, Semi western) mean that your heel pad and index knuckle are resting on specific bevels. For example, the Continental Grip, which most pros use to serve, overhead, and volley, is defined by the heel pad and index knuckle resting on the second bevel (that’s one over from the top, clockwise).

Let’s get back to how your grip can influence your style of play. You may have been around the clubhouse and heard someone say that “X grip is better than Y grip, so you should use X.” Well, that’s simply not true. One grip isn’t better than another, but some grips are better for certain styles of play. What you want to do when selecting a grip is think about how your choice of grip will fit into your style of play. For example, Roger Federer is an all-court attacking player, and he uses a more conservative grip that’s very close to an Eastern. This allows him to swing through the ball, drive the ball, stay on the attack and dictate play. On the other hand, Rafael Nadal uses a more extreme grip, very close to a Western. Because he swings up on the ball so much more, he generates more topspin, keeps the ball in play, and grinds opponents into the ground. Both of these forehands (and the grips that go with them) are extremely, extremely effective. But more than anything, it shows that their choice of grip is closely related to the style of tennis they play.

Your grip needs to work into the larger framework of the tennis game you are trying to build, and you need to ask yourself if it currently does. If it isn’t, you should be open to considering a change.

Mariano Parris, Tennis Director

Paso Robles Sports Club A- team

Paso Robles Sports Club A- team is ranked number 1 for the Central Coast Women's Tennis League! We are beginning to build our teams for next year. Are you interested? Contact sdobroth@caclubs.com for more information.

Club Tennis Tournament

Each division play completed in 1 day. Double elimination format so you are guaranteed at least two matches!

Everyone is welcome! Cost is $30.00 for Singles and $50.00 per Doubles team. Lunch is included.Entries close Wednesday April 9th.

Junior Tennis Tournament

April 5th & 6th 2014

10 and Under on 60` court with Orange balls Boys 14 and Under Girls 14 and Under Boys 18 and Under Girls 18 and Under

Double elimination format so you are guaranteed at least two matches! Everyone is welcome! Cost is $30.00 for Singles and $50.00 per Doubles team. Lunch is includedEntries close Wednesday April 2nd.

Please remember to lock your vehicle!

Please remember to lock your vehicles while at the Club. Even slightly cracked windows allow access to items being left in plain sight for thieves. Please let us know if you notice any unusual activity in our parking lot. Thank you for your help!

Wine Country Half Marathon

PRSC staff and friends helped with passing out waters at an aid station for the runners at this year’s "Wine Country Half Marathon"!